Uefa moves to reduce resting time for international players

Gianni Infantino, the Uefa general secretary, said shake-up of European qualifiers was “the format of the future”Paul Childs

International players will have less rest between matches under a shake-up of European qualifiers planned by Uefa that will result in games being played over six days, including a weekend.

The “Week of Football”, to be introduced from 2014 if it is ratified, is designed to make international football once again part of a weekend’s sporting entertainment to maximise television revenues and raise attendance among families.

The move will lead to national teams having just a two-day break between matches in World Cup and European Championship double-headers instead of three. They will play either on Thursdays and Sundays, Fridays and Mondays or Saturdays and Tuesdays.

Gianni Infantino, the Uefa general secretary, told the Leaders in Football conference in London that it was “the format of…